Ancient Spanish coin used for Leeds bus fare identified after 70 years

An ancient Spanish coin used to pay for a bus fare in Leeds, England, during the early 1950s has been identified more than 70 years after the event. The coin was used by a passenger in place of a penny and was kept by a fare collector, who stored it in a wooden box.

The object was eventually inherited by his grandson, Peter, who donated it to the Leeds Museums and Galleries. While the coin's identity is now known, its exact origin remains a mystery. Peter suggested the coin might have been brought back to the UK by soldiers returning from service following World War II.

Kat Baxter, the museum's curator of archaeology and numismatics, described the find as a special addition to the collection. The coin is currently on display at the Leeds Discovery Centre.